ROCK NEWS TODAY — FEATURED ARTICLES

Aerosmith has made history yet again, becoming only the fifth musical act to earn a newly-charting Top 10 album in six consecutive decades. Their new five-track EP One More Time — created in collaboration with U.K. alt-rock star YUNGBLUD — debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200, proving that the Boston legends still have a powerful grip on rock audiences in 2025.

The EP arrives at a pivotal moment for the band. Following the cancellation of their Peace Out farewell tour due to Steven Tyler's serious vocal cord damage, fans wondered if Aerosmith would ever record again. Instead, the band channeled the downtime into a creative partnership with YUNGBLUD, who has openly cited Aerosmith as a lifelong influence.

Six Decades of Chart Dominance

Aerosmith’s Billboard story stretches back nearly 50 years. Their 1976 album Rocks was their first Top 10 entry, a record later considered one of the most influential hard-rock albums ever made. Despite several releases landing just outside the Top 10, the band resurged in the late ’80s and ’90s with a double shot of multi-platinum dominance: Pump, Permanent Vacation, Get a Grip, and Nine Lives.

The 2000s brought more success, with Just Push Play soaring to No. 2 in 2001 and their blues-rock covers project Honkin’ on Bobo performing surprisingly well.

The New EP — A Fusion of Generations

One More Time includes four brand-new songs co-written with YUNGBLUD plus a remixed version of the Aerosmith classic “Back in the Saddle.” The fresh material blends Tyler's still-ferocious vocals with modern alt-rock textures — and the chemistry is undeniable. “My Only Angel,” the lead single, has already sparked massive fan discussion, especially after the surprise acoustic remix featuring Steve Martin on banjo.

While the band has no touring plans confirmed, the EP signals that Aerosmith’s creative engine still has plenty of fuel — even after six decades.

Source: ultimateclassicrock.com

AC/DC’s early 1990s comeback is now considered one of the greatest resurrection stories in rock history — but at the time, the band’s future was hanging by a thread. After several underperforming albums in the late ’80s, Atlantic Records was preparing to drop them. Enter Derek Shulman, former Gentle Giant frontman turned record executive, whose instincts and persistence helped steer the Australian legends into a new era.

Shulman understood that AC/DC still had the fanbase, the live power, and the songwriting spark — they just needed the right environment and support. Against internal resistance, he orchestrated a label trade with Atlantic: Pete Townshend would go to Atlantic, and AC/DC would move to ATCO Records under Shulman's direction.

A New Home and a New Sound

Once the dust settled, Shulman connected the band with producer Bruce Fairbairn, known for his work with Bon Jovi and Aerosmith. The band recorded in Vancouver, a change of scenery that helped reset their mindset. The sessions produced The Razors Edge — an album now synonymous with the band’s second golden age.

“Thunderstruck,” built around Angus Young’s rapid-fire hammer-on riff, became an immediate global anthem. “Moneytalks” and “Are You Ready” helped keep the record on the charts for 77 consecutive weeks, proving AC/DC were far from finished.

The Secret Engine: Malcolm Young

Shulman also highlighted a critical, often overlooked element: Malcolm Young's rhythm guitar. His playing functioned as both pulse and foundation, allowing Angus to explode freely on top. Drummer Chris Slade, instructed to keep fills minimal, became a human metronome, locking perfectly with Malcolm’s grinding groove.

The result was a revitalized band, a fresh sonic identity, and one of the most commercially successful rock albums of the decade.

Source: ultimateclassicrock.com

Six decades after The Doors first emerged from the Los Angeles underground, drummer John Densmore is reflecting on the band’s history with renewed clarity and emotional depth. In a new interview, he explores the band’s formation, Jim Morrison’s unpredictable brilliance, and the lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry that made their sound impossible to replicate.

The Early Days of a Revolutionary Band

Densmore recalls how The Doors originally blended poetry, jazz drumming, flamenco-inspired guitar textures, and Ray Manzarek’s signature organ to create a sound no other band was attempting in the mid-’60s. Morrison’s lyricism, rooted in philosophy and theatre, pushed the group beyond traditional rock boundaries.

“We weren’t trying to be famous,” Densmore says. “We were trying to make art.”

Morrison’s Legacy at 60 Years

Much of the interview focuses on Morrison’s complexity: a gifted writer, a volatile performer, and a figure who continues to fascinate fans more than 50 years after his death. Densmore emphasizes how Morrison’s sudden shifts between calm introspection and explosive chaos created an unpredictable live experience that shaped the band's mythology.

Keeping The Doors Alive

Despite losing Morrison early and later Manzarek, Densmore remains dedicated to protecting the integrity of the band’s catalogue. He has famously rejected high-dollar commercial licensing deals, insisting that The Doors’ music carries a deeper artistic responsibility.

Sixty years later, The Doors remain one of rock’s most influential and enduring acts — a legacy Densmore vows to guard for as long as he can.

Source: ultimateclassicrock.com

For the first time in years, Guns N’ Roses have released two new songs on the same day — “Nothin’” and “Atlas.” The announcement marks a surprising and much-needed jolt of energy for fans who have been waiting for fresh material from the band since 2023.

‘Nothin’’ — A Raw, Aggressive Throwback

“Nothin’” leans into the band’s classic grit: snarling vocals, a grinding mid-tempo groove, and a riff that feels lifted from the Use Your Illusion era. The track has been praised for capturing the dangerous swagger that made GN’R icons in the first place.

The accompanying video adds an extra edge — a grimy, neon-lit visual aesthetic that matches the tension in the song.

‘Atlas’ — Big, Melodic, Cinematic

“Atlas,” by contrast, feels grander and more melodic. With a soaring chorus and atmospheric guitar work, the track has drawn comparisons to the more expansive moments on Chinese Democracy blended with Slash’s modern songwriting voice.

The two tracks together showcase a band that, despite years of lineup changes and uncertainty, still knows how to deliver heavy emotional punch and arena-sized presence.

A Hint at What Comes Next?

Rumors are already circulating that these releases could be a preview of a larger 2026 project — possibly the first full GN’R album with Slash and Duff since the 1990s. Nothing has been confirmed, but insiders are suggesting momentum is building.

Source: loudwire.com